This invention relates to sewing apparatus and garment or other sewn article handling apparatus useful for sewing apparatus, and more particularly, to a so-called garment stacker for seizing and stacking of sewn articles such as sewn panels forming work pieces of slacks, pants and shorts.
In garment manufacturing operations wherein sewing machines or the like are utilized for sewing together different pieces of fabric to provide a so-called panel which will become the leg of a pair of pants, slacks or shorts, it is desirable for the sewn article to be quickly removed from the machine after sewing and replaced by other articles to be sewn. For this purpose, there have been proposed various kinds of apparatus, as in Rockerath U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,631 and Korioth U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,616. In the latter, a stacker device engages the forward end of overlapped fabric portions to pull same rearwardly from the sewing machine, but without use of a stacking bar. In the former, a stacking bar merely swings from side to side arcuately to drape equal lengths of sewn material on opposite bar sides.
In a previous commercial type of pants stacker, a stacking bar was provided, being carried at opposite ends by arms pivoted from locations close to the sewing machine, an air cylinder being utilized for causing pivoting of the stacking bar rearwardly and downwardly from the sewing machine work surface. A further pair of arms carrying between their outer ends a clamping bar were pivoted to the first set of arms, and a second air cylinder was provided for providing mutual movement between the sets of arms. The pivoting geometry was such that the clamping bar was caused to swing up and toward the stacking bar for engaging same at some distance from the edge of the sewing machine table. In addition to objectionably utilizing two separate cylinders with inherent complexity and control interrelationship for providing the requisite movement not only of the stacking bar but also the clamping bar, this prior art arrangement also was disadvantageous in being unable to grip or clamp the edge of a sewn garment of short length, such as sewn panels for use in shorts or short length pants, such as children's sizes. Short work pieces, therefore, were required to be stacked by hand after each sewing operation was completed. The double cylinder arrangement in addition to being more expensive required duplicated maintenance efforts.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a garment stacker for use with a sewing apparatus, and specifically for location in immediate adjacency to a sewing machine table for seizing and stacking of sewn articles, such as panels for pants of both long and short length, including children's sizes, as well as shorts, and providing advantageous seizing of each sewn article, pulling it from the sewing table and stacking it on the stacking bar in succession to provide a multitude of neatly stacked articles readily presented thereby for use in further sewing operations, handling, packaging and the like.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a stacker which utilizes only a single driving means and thereby avoids duplicate, wasteful, uneconomic and maintenance-intensive duplication of prime movers or other driving members, thereby conducing to simplicity, low-cost, ease of maintenance and inherent reliability.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a stacker which by its inherent geometry is appropriately configured for seizing of the sewn article in immediate adjacency to the sewing apparatus, being closely proximate to the edge of a sewing table whereby there is assured reliable receiving of the sewn article without resort to manual guiding or efforts on the part of the operator to introduce the edge of the sewn article into the stacker for being seized; and which, by its design, causes pulling of the sewn article rearwardly from the sewing apparatus in a direction imposing no undue strain upon the article and neither tending to dislodge previously stacked articles nor interfering with preparation by the operator for a subsequent sewing operation.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of such a stacker which provides inherent equalizing of the forces utilized for gripping and pulling of the sewn article during the stacking operation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a garment stacker which accumulates a relatively large number of stacked articles before requiring to be unloaded while preserving the stack of articles in a clean, unsoiled condition well-protected against exposure to mechanisms, lubricants, and from being contacted by persons or objects.
Briefly, a stacker as configured according to the present invention is utilized with a sewing apparatus such as a sewing machine having a sewing table. The stacker is utilized for seizing and stacking of the sewn articles in succession, and includes a stacking bar and a frame pivotally connected to the main support structure and carrying the stacking bar horizontally for movement between an article receiving position extending laterally along and closely proximate the edge of the sewing table for receiving the sewn article and a retracted position spaced outwardly from the sewing table edge. Also provided is a clamping bar, and means carrying the clamping bar parallel to the stacking bar and pivotally connected to such frame for movement of the clamping bar between an open position spaced from the stacking bar and a clamping position confronting the stacking bar for gripping of the received sewn article by pressure between the stacking and gripping bars. Driving means in the form of a single air cylinder is carried by the main support frame, being interconnected by a bell-crank with the frame and the clamping bar carrying means for causing movement of the clamping bar to its clamping position, subsequent movement of the stacking bar to its retracted position (thereby seizing the received sewn article, pulling it from the sewing apparatus, and stacking it on the stacking bar) as well as subsequent ultimate return movement of the stacking bar to its receiving position together with movement of the clamping bar to its open position. Accordingly, the stacking bar when again in its receiving position may receive another sewn article overlying the previously stacked article.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.